As a drinker, I'm a rank amateur with coffee, intermediate with wine, advanced with beer. The descriptions are very difficult, and even with beer I don't find the wine writers' style ("wilted rose petals, wet dog, a touch of mushroom soil in the finish") very helpful.

Temperature and time are common elements with all three beverages. A red wine or British pale ale served chilled tastes much different than if served at cellar temperature, and the flavor of both evolves in the bottle and glass. Similarly, a steaming mug of coffee has different flavors and aromas than the same mug 10 or 15 minutes later, when it has cooled and been exposed to air.

This morning I brewed a French roast from a small local roaster whose description read "Spicy, floral aroma with gentle acidity. Sweet flavor, full body, and caramel-like finish." The aroma was marvelous but faded in a few minutes, and I was wondering where the "full body" was. The body became apparent as it entered the upper ideal-drinking-temperature range, and only when it was at the low end of that range did I appreciate the caramel. Actually quite a lovely mug.

If you've got more money and interest, you could check out the Le Nez Du Cafe vials of coffee scents, either as a kit or vial by vial at Espresso Parts (maybe wait for their periodic free shipping deals).

If you can get together and compare notes, whether doing a formal "cupping" or just sharing coffee, that helps. You could also check to see if there are any local cafes hosting cupping or tasting events as well.

Thanks so much for the advice. This morning I sat with a cup for a bit and just took time to enjoy it. Thinking about what Jason I'd about analogy, I thought, " how would I describe this?" I was thinking honey and raw sugar, and sure enough when I looked at the bag those were two of the descriptions.

I think part of the problem I was having was trying to go about it backwards. I would read the package and try to taste what the label said vs. just enjoying the cup and noting how it tastes.

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